more enchiladas!

These enchiladas are not exactly SUPER cheap, or SUPER simple, (but they're not too labor intensive), but as far as enchiladas go, they are fairly healthy. I love Mexican food, but traditional Mexican is so dense- I prefer my homemade versions to authentic restaurant stuff!

Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas

1. Defrost 1 pkg. jumbo shrimp.

2. Steam 1/2 pkg. frozen spinach.

3. Chop: 2 green onions, 2 tomatoes, cilantro, and shrimps.

4. Combine above ingredients in a bowl, squeeze some lemon juice in, and add shredded cheese. Add less cheese for a healthier version, or more cheese for a richer version.

5. Add some green enchilada sauce to mixture, reserving most for dipping your tortillas.

6. Preheat oven to 350

7. Heat oil in a pan. Get out large baking dish, and fill a bowl with enchilada sauce.

8. Dip whole wheat tortilla in oil for a few seconds, let oil drip off, dip in enchilada sauce, and add a couple scoops of filling. Roll and repeat, to fill the pan with about 8 enchiladas. Top enchiladas with remaining enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with a little cheese or green onions.

9. Bake for 30 minutes.

10. Serve with shredded lettuce or greens and a dallop of sour cream. If you've got them handy, sprinkle a few black beans on top too!

Waffle Maker!

I got a waffle maker for Christmas, and I didn't even know I wanted one! But so far, I am loving it. We had the standard waffles yesterday, and today I tried out the whole grain version. Super simple, and the nonstick waffle iron doesn't really need much cleaning.

Whole Grain Banana Waffles with Blackberry Syrup

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup oats

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

1 mashed banana

Then, I threw some leftover blackberries from the refrigerator into the blender with a couple tablespoons of maple syrup. The waffles were delicious, but I did have to add some butter. I would normally opt not to do the butter on top, but these waffles tasted a bit too healthy. I forgot to add the baking powder- I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

I think tomorrow I'll try the same waffles with peanut butter spread on top- as a substitute for my usual toast-with-peanut-butter breakfast.

I've got to send out a big Thanks for the shout-out from Kelly's Grateful Apron!

Nothing's cheaper than leftovers!

Lucky me! Thanksgiving leftovers have coincided with my busiest week of school! I haven't lifted a finger in the kitchen (well, except for the piles and piles of dishes) since I made hot spiced wine and pumpkin cheesecake on Thursday.

Another Thanks has to go out to Kim for transforming our leftovers all weekend!

-Turkey Soup

-Creamy Broccoli and Turkey [fancy french name, but I'll call it soup]

-Turkey Enchiladas

-Potato Pancakes

I wish I could give you the recipes to all these, but I'm not that advanced! Actually, here's one I came up with:

Turkey Sandwiches

Place turkey between two slices of whole wheat bread

Squeeze Wasabi Sandwich spread liberally onto bread and turkey

Add a slice of swiss cheese

Ok, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but maybe in a few days (like, after I finish my TeacherWeb!) I can give you all something better!

In the spirit of the holidays...

I've come to notice that if you serve a nice beverage, many times it doesn't really matter what it is you cook. This hot spiced wine is the perfect choice for the holiday season!




Hot Spiced Wine





In a Crock Pot, pour in 3-4 bottles of red wine. I made this on Thanksgiving and used Petite Syrah, but I think next time I would use a sweeter red, like Lambrusco, and add less sugar.





Drop in a couple tea balls full of Apple Cider Mulling Spices. If you can't find mulling spices, just use cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. If you don't have tea balls, wrap up the spices in cheesecloth, or just drop them right in the wine.





Squeeze in juice from 1/2 a lemon.

Add a few slices of peeled, cored apple. (I used 4 whole apples for my batch.)

Add sugar to taste. (I used 2/3 cup on Thanksgiving. It tasted good, but I think I could have gotten away with a bit less.)





Heat on High for 1-2 hours, or Low for 4-5 hours.

Bean Salad all week long

I learned a new, simple dish from my (future) mother-in-law this week- Thanks, Kim!

The Bean Salad

I like this one because you can make a big batch and munch on it for a quick lunch all week long. Since it's pretty much all beans, it's high in fiber and protein, and low in fat.

1 lb. great northern beans *or 2 cans, and really, any bean would do* ($2)

Add chopped greek-cured olives, such as Kalamata (price varies)

Add olive oil, red wine vinegar, chopped garlic, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper (I don't count these as since I usually have them onhand, but I would estimate this cost at $3)

I don't usually use measurements for something like this. Just add more of what you like more.

Also, you could substitute basil for the cilantro if you prefer.

This salad would be lovely as an appetizer while you wait for these healthy Enchiladas to cook:

(Note: These aren't the quickest or cheapest thing I've ever cooked, but sometimes on a Saturday evening I'm feeling a bit more motivated.)


Broccoli, Mushroom, and Chicken Enchiladas:

Cook up some ground chicken (or turkey) in a skillet. Transfer to a large bowl.

Sautee some mushrooms and garlic in olive oil in same skillet used for chicken.

Steam broccoli.

Add mushrooms, garlic, and broccoli to bowl of ground chicken.

Add shredded cheese and half a can of green enchilada sauce to above mixture.

Heat some oil in your previously used skillet, and dip some whole wheat tortillas in. (Do not fry to a crisp.) Drain tortillas on paper towels. (This step makes for a slightly less healthy dish, but it makes a world of difference in taste and structure of enchiladas!)

One at a time, dip lightly fried tortillas in leftover enchilada sauce. Then, set in a large baking dish, and scoop some of your chicken/veg. mixture into tortilla. Roll and Repeat.

Any leftover enchilada sauce can be poured over rolled, filled tortillas. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350* for 1/2 hour.

Loves it!

Pasta with Clams and Broccoli

Argh... I had off 2 nights this week when I would normally have night class. Though I enjoyed my extra time, this meant I had 2 more meals to prepare this week!

Luckily, I've got this little pasta dish I enjoy that I think is fairly healthy. Cheap, too!

Pasta with Clams and Broccoli

Cook pasta according to box directions: I like whole wheat angel hair pasta- angel hair cooks faster! (approx. $1-$2 for whole box, but a whole box is not necessary for 2-4 people)

Add 1 can clams, including the juice (approx. $2)

Add fresh or frozen steamed broccoli (cheap)

If you have one around, add a chopped tomato or some fresh lemon juice, or both

Sprinkle with Parmsan cheese. (whole can is approx. $3, but it will last a long time)

I once read somewhere that adding broccoli to every meal is one of the best things you can do for your family. I don't exactly do that every night, but I do like to keep bags of frozen broccoli in the freezer to sneak into meals when I can.

Mini Pizzas

I am SO over cooking dinner. But I have to do it or my family would starve. Or eat Jack in the Box tacos on a way too regular basis. My dilemma is this: my standards are much too high for my levels of skill, motivation, or money. I will not make macaroni and cheese with hot dogs. I will not throw some fish sticks and tator tots in the oven. I've had enough Trader Joe's meals in a bag. I want to make a nice meal that has a high nutritional content, does not cost very much money, and only takes a half hour or less. My family requests that this meal tastes good as well. I think this is possible, and sometimes I do come up with a fabulous idea. I've tried in the past to write these ideas down in order to remember them, but I think now I'll try a computerized version. And so... My Blog!

I'll start this post with my current go-to meal:
(Note: I did not invent the English Muffin Pizza.)

English Muffin Pizzas
Spread whole wheat english muffin halves (I can usually find a pack on sale for $1) with

1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce ($0.45)

Add assorted leftover meats or vegetables for toppings

Top with shredded cheese (I like to keep a large package in stock- about $8 but it lasts a long time)

Throw in a 350* oven for about a half hour